


Lead On

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Flying Doctors
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Community: 1-million-words, F/M, Fluff, Het, Post canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 13:30:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12582956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: Johnno is in a rush.





	Lead On

**Author's Note:**

> For October bingo prompt "not a moment too soon"

Johnno burst through the doors of the hospital, heedless of whoever might be standing on the other side of them, whoever might be in the corridor. He knew exactly where he was going, didn't need anyone to give him directions and he certainly didn't need the commentary he got as he sped past the reception desk, Penny tsk-ing loudly and calling after him, "About time!"

He ignored her - he didn't have the time to waste on telling her off. 

He didn't pause for breath when he found the room, burst through that door too, his eyes sweeping the tiny space and taking everything in at once. Kate's head, whipping around towards him, her eyes initially narrowed in a glare, softening when she saw his face. Her arms, one around Rowie's waist, supporting her as she stood, the other holding Rowie's hand. Rowie's free hand, meanwhile, was pressed against her swollen stomach, her face screwed up in concentration as she breathed deeply in and out. Her head turned more slowly towards Johnno, her concentration being caught up elsewhere, but the look of relief that swept over her face when her eyes met his couldn't be denied. 

"Get over here," Kate ordered and Johnno didn't have to be told twice, stepping in to put his arm around Rowie's waist, take her hand in his, mimicking Kate's posture exactly. 

"How is she?" he asked Kate, but it was Rowie who replied. Well, growled would be more like it. 

" _She_ is standing right beside you," she reminded him and before he looked down at her, Johnno could swear he saw Kate's lips twitch in a smile that she hastily concealed. 

Kate patted his shoulder as she stepped back. "I'll give you two a few minutes." 

With that, she was gone and Johnno tightened his grip around Rowie's waist as she laid her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry," were the first words that he said to her. "I thought we had more time..." Because her due date wasn't for another two weeks and didn't everyone always say that first babies were always late? 

"What can I say?" He could hear the amusement in Rowie's voice, could picture the smile on her lips even if she hadn't lifted her head and he couldn't see her face. "She's your daughter... bull at a gate and all that."

"Oh sure..." Any other time, Johnno would be rolling his eyes at a comment like that. Today, he was still a little worried, a little panicked, too much so to do that. Falling into their usual pattern of banter, though, that was second nature. "Blame me..."

"Why break the habit of a lifetime?" Rowie did lift her head then and when she saw the look on his face, she tilted her head, her free hand coming up to land on his chest. "Johnno, relax... I'm fine. Really." 

He frowned. "You didn't look fine a minute ago," he pointed out. "And should you really be standing up? Wouldn't you be better off sitting down... or lying down or something?" 

At that, Rowie actually chuckled. "Who's the doctor again?" she asked. He opened his mouth to protest but before he could, she added, "I'm only five centimetres dilated... and walking helps." A wry smile appeared on her face. "As long as I have someone to hold on to when a contraction hits." 

He still wasn't entirely convinced and while on another day, at another time, he might have argued with her, he was pretty sure that today was not the day to try it. "Well then," he said, rubbing his hand up and down her back, something that made her eyes flutter shut and a tiny moan escape her throat, "looks like I arrived not a moment too soon." He inclined his head towards the door. "Shall we?" 

Her giggle was music to his ears. "Lead on."


End file.
